Internet Safety for young kids

Here's a question for you: do your kids use the internet? If they do, they're not alone. A new study shows that more than two-thirds of children ages 2 through 5 know how to use a computer. That sounds pretty young, right? The numbers grow as the ages go up. And, that's why experts say now is the time to start talking to our kids about the internet -- and, the dangers it can bring.

The study goes on to say that 1 in 6, 6 to 9 year olds have experienced what their parents consider objectionable or aggressive behavior on-line. That's things like malicious content, even predators. As a parent, that is very scary! But, there are things you can do to protect your kids. JR Smith is the CEO of AVG Technologies, an internet security company. He says we need to start by educating ourselves.

"Parents being knowledgeable themselves by understanding what kinds of threats are out there and helping their kids also understand that. And, they can do that through surfing the net with them, taking the time to understand what they're doing," explained Smith.
JR says it's also a good idea to:

• monitor what your kids are doing on-line. Keep track of the websites they're interested in. Do some research on those. And, be especially aware of social media. For younger kids that may include sites like Club Penguin or Webkinz.
• Use filters on your computer. Those can help block unwanted content and websites.
• If your child is ready for e-mail, JR says you can set up specific accounts for each child with different passwords, things like that. And, keep a close eye on those accounts.

As parents, JR says the biggest things we can do are to be pro-active and to be involved. The more we know, the safer our kids are. And, don't underestimate the dangers out there in the cyber world!

For more information on internet safety, you can go to JR's website .